Gazprom, which is a state-owned gas company, has been accused of trying to manipulate the market by selling just enough gas to make sure the prices stay high. As the third-largest gas producer in the world, Gazprom typically supplies more than a third of the energy needs of the countries across the European Union.

       However, flows dwindled to a six-year low in November as the company only pumped about 12.7 billion cubic feet of gas.

       For months now, gas supplies from Russia have dropped well below the levels seen before the pandemic.

       For homes, businesses and storage facilities around Europe, the volumes of Russian gas they received this year have been almost a quarter below those in 2019.

       ？？Meanwhile, Gazprom’s profits soared to 581billionn rubles (￡5.8billion) compared with a loss for the same period last year ago on sales that soared by almost three-quarters to 2.37trillion rubles (￡24.4million), another record high.

       The company also expects “even more impressive results in the fourth quarter”.

       This slowdown of gas supply coincides with a global post-pandemic surge in gas demand that has triggered blackouts and record energy market prices across the globe.

       Russia has also been accused of decreasing supplies of gas to speed up certification of the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was recently suspended, causing prices to spike in Europe.

       The Russian government denied allegations that it is using its vast reserves of gas ？？as a political tool to influence European nations and fast track the Nord Stream 2 certification.

       READ MORE: Putin challenges West as deadly weapon arrives at Ukraine border

       However, Mr Putin has suggested earlier this year that Europe's energy woes could be solved by approving the project.

       He said: "Of course, if we could expand supplies along this route, then, 100 percent, I can say with absolute certainty, the tension on the European energy market would significantly decline, and that would influence prices, of course. This is an obvious thing."

       Gazprom has claimed that it is meeting all long-term contracts with its European customers and blames the lower “spot” exports on low gas storage levels itself, which many analysts feel sceptical about.

       Rystad Energy, an independent energy research company calculates that if Russia were to raise its volumes of gas exports by 20 percent, it could bring the market price of gas in western European markets down by 50 percent.

       DON'T MISS:

       Nicola Sturgeon's independence dream could cost Scotland ￡10bn from UK [ANALYSIS]

       Meghan and Harry claim title from Kate and William - Major upset [REVEAL]

       'Absolute EU brainwashing' VDL's youth corps 'propaganda machine' [INSIGHT]